Water Walking For Arthritis

It’s probably not news to you: the body functions best when all parts are mobile and strong. But life sometimes throws us a curveball—whether that’s chronic pain like arthritis, an injury, or simply hitting a training plateau. These obstacles can halt our progress and make it seem like we'll never achieve our fitness goals. But don’t lose hope; often, the solution lies in revisiting foundational skills and focusing on building muscle balance. Once you do that, you may find that your progress accelerates.

Enter: water walking—a simple and effective exercise suitable for all fitness levels. It’s a perfect solution to a plateau, to reduce pain, and to help you move forward and get results that count. Surprisingly, walking in chest-deep water, even without breaking into a jog, can be more challenging than it appears. Despite its low impact, this exercise has the potential for huge results, especially if you suffer from arthritis. Let’s dive into the what and why of water walking and how it can change your life.

Water Walking 101

Water walking, as you can probably guess, is a form of exercise that involves walking in a pool, typically in chest-deep water. This simple yet highly effective activity combines the resistance of water with the natural movement of walking, creating a low-impact workout that’s gentle on the joints while providing a whole host of health benefits, such as improving cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and boosting overall flexibility.

Different to walking on land, walking in a pool gives you the added bonus of the water. This benefit is twofold: buoyancy and resistance.

Buoyancy

The buoyancy of water reduces the stress on joints and bones by up to 80% compared to on land, making it an excellent option for anyone suffering with arthritis, chronic pain, or in recovery from injuries.

Resistance

The resistance of the water, on the other hand, gives you an extra challenge. Simply moving through the denser medium of water helps to build strength and endurance without the risk of high-impact damage. Not only that, but the hydrostatic pressure of being in water is enough to relax your body, improve circulation, and promote healing (read more about the benefits of the water here).

Water Walking: How To

To get started, stand in a pool where the water is around chest level and begin walking with a normal motion, focusing on good posture—it’s that simple. Then, let’s talk about mixing it up a little; variety is crucial not only for relieving boredom but also for sticking to an exercise program long-term and for better results. Consider incorporating different directions and styles of walking, such as:

• Walking forward, backward, and sideways
• Taking big steps / small steps
• Tandem walking forward and backward (as if on a balance beam)
• Taking crossover steps

These variations will alter how your legs, core, and arms are engaged, promoting that muscular balance that can change everything.

How Walking Backwards Relieves Pain

So now we’re convinced by the benefits of water walking, let’s introduce an added element: walking backwards. Walking backwards in water has proven effective in improving lower body functional strength, as well as aerobic and anaerobic capabilities.

Jeanmarie Scordino, an exercise physiologist, explains how walking backwards can relieve pressure: “Just by getting in the pool and stepping back in a controlled fashion, it’s going to encourage space in the vertebrae of the low back and help to relieve pain and provide a better environment for healing."

Try it the next time you’re in the pool and see how effective it can be.

Conclusion

Water walking is a powerful, low-impact exercise that can significantly benefit anyone suffering from arthritis, chronic pain, or those dealing with a movement plateau. By incorporating different walking styles and directions, you can keep the exercise interesting and effective.

If you’re looking for a way to manage pain, build strength, and improve mobility, give water walking a try—it might just change your life.